Haron tried to recover the situation quickly, gesturing wildly at the pile of gifts surrounding Alina.
"We did not harm her. Not at all. We treated her well, as you can see. Gifts. A comfortable bed. Silk sheets. We even let her keep the bracelet—"
Dante's gaze finally shifted toward them.
The look in his eyes made Haron stop mid-sentence, the rest of his words dying in his throat.
"Silence."
One word.
That was all it took.
The room obeyed instantly. Three ancient elders, powerful enough to have ruled courts and frightened kingdoms for decades, stood frozen like children caught stealing cookies.
Then Dante turned his attention back to the bed.
Back to Alina.
His voice softened slightly. Just enough that only she might notice.
"Come here."
The shadows around the elders tightened a little more, wrapping around their ankles like silent promises.
Alina stared at him, her red-rimmed eyes wide.
